Rail brace



Oct. 3, 1950 s. ARNOLD ETAVL 2,524,586

RAIL BRACE Filed Nov. 12, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 11 Ex 7/ 25 23 I- 5 fll'lil iit fie. 4 '75 INVENTOR. j

6509a: Jen/040 47 BY 'f/mey 4.5010472 Oct. 3, 1950 e. ARNOLD EI'AL 2,524,586

RAIL BRACE Filed Nov. 12, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Arrapvcys substantial time and labor.

greatest strain in use.

Patented Oct. 3, 1950 RAIL BRACE George Arnold, Shaker Heights, and Harry A. Schultz, Garfield Heights, Ohio, assignors to Cleveland Frog & Crossing 00., Cleveland, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application November 12, 1948. Serial No. 59,653

18 Claims. I

This invention relates to a rail brace such as is applied to a railroad rail to resist any tendency of the rail to turn outwardly from the center of the track and to clamp it to the tie plate, base plate or switch plate on which it rests, thus'holding the rail against movements relative to the 7 plate, which latter in turn is secured to a supporting tie as is well understood in theart.

Rail braces of the type contemplated by this invention are most frequently applied against the stock rails along side split switch points but their use is not necessarily limited to such application. Further, braces of this type are frequently made adjustable to compensate for variations in the dimensions of the rail, the seat for the rail and brace, in the brace itself, and also to afford a means of retightening the assembly after wear takes place.

Rail braces employed for this purpose generally have a portion which engages one of the sloping base flanges of the rail and the vertical web of the rail where it merges with the base flanges, and a portion which engages theweb beneath the rail head. Heretofore the rail braces have been secured to the base plates in rail clamping and bracing position by hold-down or clamping bolts carried by andextending through openings in the base plates and braces.

In the use of the rail braces in track it sometimes occurs that the hold-downbolts become damaged or are sheared off thus necessitating removing the rail brace and remounting the same with new hold-down bolts. Inasmuch as the practice has been to have the hold-down bolts carried by and extend through openings in the base plates with the heads of the bolts located between the base plates and the ties to which the plates are secured, it has been necessary in order to remove the hold-downbolts to first remove the base plates from the ties. This is a disadvantage in maintenance operations and consumes Furthermore since the hold-down bolts are mounted in and carried by the base plates and extend through openings therein, it has been necessary to providethe base plates with openings. These openings in the base plates have been located in positions whichcoincide with that part of the plates subject to the This location of the openings in the base plates has been occasioned by the fact that'it is customaryto provide the rail braces ings. 7

An object of the invention is topr'ovidea rail brace and base plate construction such that the hold-down bolts can be applied to the brace and plate without necessitating removal of the plate from the tie. s

Another object is to provide a rail brace and base plate construction such that the initial installation and subsequent maintenance thereof are facilitated and rendered more economical.

Another object is to provide a rail brace and base plate construction such that the hold-down bolts are carried by the rail brace and can be operatively connected to the base plate when secured to a tie and during the installation of the brace and Without removal of the plate from the tie..

Another object of the invention is to provide a rail brace and base plate construction such that it is not necessary to have hold-down bolt-openings in the base plate, wherefore the provision of weakened zones in the base plate is obviated.

Further and additional objects and advantages not hereinbefore specified will become apparent in the detailed description of several embodiments of the invention which is to follow. 1

In carrying out the invention it is contemplatjd to provide the rail brace adjacent its opposite longitudinal side edges and beyond the side walls of the brace with means for operatively connecting the hold-down bolts with the brace and to utilize with such means hold-down bolts of 'a character that can be operatively connected to the base plate after the base plate has bee secured to a tie.

Referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating said several embodiments of the invention, Fig. 1 shows a rail mounted on a base plate with a rail brace secured in rail clamping position on the base plate, the said rail being shown in transverse section and said base plate and rail brace being constructed in accordance with the invention and being shown in elevation taken looking toward a longitudinal side or edge of the plate and brace.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rail, base plate and rail brace shown in Fig. l with the head of the rail removed and the. web thereof shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a partial elevational and partial sectional view of the rail, base plate and rail brace with the sectional portion of the view taken substantially along line 3--3 of Fig. 2 and with the base plate illustrated as secured to a tie, the ele- I vational portion being taken looking from the end of the tie at the end of the brace and plate and at the side of the rail.

- base plate. brace as already explained.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating a different form of base plate and hold-down bolt employed in the construction embodying the invention.

Fig. is a view similar to Fig. l but showing a modified form of base plate and rail brace embodying the invention.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but of the modified form shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but of the modified form shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and is taken substantially on line 'll of Fig. 6, and

Fig. 8 is a detached fragmentary longitudinal elevational view of the base plate shown in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive.

The form of rail brace illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive and embodying the invention will first be described. The rail brace is employed. with a railway rail indicated generally at IE] and comprising the usual base flanges H provided on their upper sides with downwardly sloping surfaces l2.

A vertically extending web 53 interconnects the rail base with the rail head 54. The

rail is supported on a base plate l5 which in turn The base plate [5 on its upper side is provided with a recess in which the base of the rail is located, with the left hand side of the rail base engaging the base plate at the left hand end of the recess as viewed in the drawings. A fixed abutment member or back stop H is illustrated as secured in the recess of the base plate at the right. hand end thereof by suitable securing means such as the rivets l8 as is common practice in the art.

The rail brace is for the purpose of clamping and bracing the rail in proper position with respect to the base plate, with the left hand (as viewed in the drawing) base flange of the rail firmly in engagement with the left hand end of the recess in the base plate and to prevent relative movements of the rail with respect to the This is the usual function of a rail The rail brace comprises a brace block, indicated generally by the letter B, and this block may be formed as a casting, forging or in any suitable manner as will be well understood in the art. The brace block B comprises a vertically extending portion [9 which has at its upper end a rail engaging portion 23 that is adapted when the brace is applied to the rail to engage the side of the web 13 of the rail below but adjacent to the underside of the rail head l4, it being noted that clearance is provided between the upper surface of the portion 20 and the under surface of the rail head for the purpose that the portion 20 will exert force against the web l3 of the rail in substantially a horizontal direction and will not exert upward force on the rail head which would tend to tip the rail. The vertical portion I9 and the rail engaging portion 20 of the block B ex- I tend longitudinally of the rail.

The block B is provided with a substantially horizontal portion 2| integrally connected to the lower end of the vertical portion I9. This horizontal portion 2| adjacent to the vertical portion I9 is provided on its underside with an inclined surface 22 that engages the downwardly sloping surface I2 of the base flange H of the rail. The underside of the horizontal portion 2| of the block has a downwardly extending rib 22 the right hand side of which rib, as viewed in the drawings, is inclined transversely of the base plate 15. The horizontal portion 2| of the block B beyond the rib 22 is provided with an overhanging lip 23 which on its underside is provided with a series of serrations or teeth transversely disposed with respect to the lip, with the series extending substantially throughout the length of the lip.

The vertical portion l9 and the horizontal portion 2| including the lip 23 are connected by parallel spaced side walls '24, the upper surfaces of which are formed with a concave curvature extending from the portion 20 to the lip 23. The parallel side walls 24 are located adjacent to but inwardly of the longitudinal front and rear edges or sides of the block. The block B on its opposite front and rear longitudinal edges and outwardly of the side walls 24 is shown as provided with outwardly extending lug portions 25 that are integral with the horizontal portion 2!. The front longitudinal edge of the block B is deemed herein as the edge toward which the observer looks in Fig. l. The lug portions 25 project beyond the longitudinal edges of the base plate l5 as clearly shown in Fig. 2 and are provided with hold-down bolt openings which when the block B is positioned on the base plate l5 overlie said opposite longitudinal edges of the base plate. The bolt openings in the portions 25 are downwardly and divergently tapered to provide the required draft for the casting operation. The shanks 26 have integrally formed at their upper ends the threaded bolt portions 2'! which are disposed at a slight angle to the shanks 25 as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. The lower ends of the shanks 26 have integrally formed thereon the bolt'heads 28 which, in this instance, are simply enlarged ends of the shanks 26 and are provided with beveled side surfaces 29. The inclined shanks 26 enable the bolts to contact the outer portions of the walls of the openings even though there is substantial clearance between the inner portions thereof and the bolts.

The opposite longitudinal sides of the base plate iii are provided with undercut recesses 30 elongated somewhat in the longitudinal direction of the base plate to allow for adjustment of the block toward and from the rail and having beveled surfaces 3| with which the beveled surfaces 29 of the bolt heads 28 cooperate.

The threaded'upper ends 21 of the hold-down bolts have mounted thereon cap nuts 32 with heavy spring washers 33 interposed between the cap nuts 32 and the upper sides of the lug portions 25.

In initially assembling the rail brace and base plate the latter is positioned on the tie in its approximate location with the rail in the recess of the plate. The hold-down bolts are then positioned with their heads 28 in the undercut recesses 30 of the base plate and with the beveled surfaces 29 of the bolt heads engaging the beveled surfaces 3| of the recesses. The rail brace is approximately positioned on the rail and base plate, it being understood that the hold-down bolts are passed through the openings in the portions 25 of the brace as the latter is thus positioned. The spring washers 33 and the cap nuts 32 are then mounted on the hold-down bolts and slightly tightened down. Then the wedge 34 is inserted to move the brace against the rail until the rail firmly engages the shoulder at the end of the recess in the upper side of the base plate. The serrations or teeth on the wedge and brace ride over each other as the wedge is inserted. When this has been accomplished the cap nuts are tightened to firmly clamp the rail brace in position and to engage the serrations of the lip 23 with those on the upper surface of the wedge 34. Also the tightening of the nuts will firmly engage the beveled surfaces 3| of the undercut recesses 30 of the base plate with the beveled surfaces 29 of the bolt heads to positively interconnect the rail brace and base plate. When the rail brace has been firmly and properly clamped in position and the rail is correctly located in the recess on the upper side of the base plate then the latter may be permanently secured to the tie in the proper position.

It will have been noted that the hold-down bolts are carried by the rail braces as distinguished from the usual practice of such bolts being carried by the base plates. In case it is necessary to remove the rail braces from the base plates and replace damaged hold-down bolts it will not be necessary to remove the baseplates from the ties in order to remove the hold-down bolts. Th importance of this is apparent, especially in view of the fact that such base plates are secured to the ties by heavy spikes and are diificult to remove from their secured position.

It will thus be seen that should it be necessary to replace the hold-down'bolts the operation is greatly facilitated by a construction embodying the invention. It will also be noted that by utilizin the undercut recesses 30 in the base plates to accommodate the heads .28 of the bolts and by the coaction of the beveled surfaces 29 and 3| of the bolt heads and recesses the clamping bolts are operatively connected to the base plates so as to provide a positive clamping and hold-down relationship between the rail braces and base plates while at the same time affording for the ready disconnection of the bolts with respect to the base plates, thus providing easy removal of the rail braces and facilitating replacement of the hold-clown bolts. Also it will be noted that the base plates are not weakened by the necessity of providing bolt openings located intermediate the front and rear longitudinal edges of the base plates.

In Fig. 4. a modified form of rail brace and base plate construction is illustrated and insofar as the parts of this modified form are identical with the parts of the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the same reference characters are employed and the description need not be repeated.

In the form shown in Fig. 4 the base plate l5 differs from the previously described base plate by the omission of the undercut recesses 30. However, in the construction shown in Fig. 4 the opposite longitudinal edges of the base-plate |5 extend over recesses 34 formed in the upper corners and at the longitudinal sides of the tie IS. The shanks 26 of the hold-down bolts in the form of construction shown inFig. 4 have integrally formed on their lower ends in place of the heads 28 hook-like portions which when the rail brace is mounted in position are located in the recesses 34 in the tie. These hook-like portions 35 extend beneath the, opposite longitudinal edges of the base plate l5 and the flat upper surfaces of the bolt portions 35 contact the undersurface of the base plate l5. Consequently when the cap nuts 32 are screwed tightly down on the bolts the rail brace will be firmly and positively interlocked with the base plate in its proper assembled position, as will be understood from the description previously given with respect to the installation of the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

It will be u'nderstoodthat the form of conthe invention. Insofar as the various parts of the construction shown in Figs. 5 to 8 are identical with the corresponding parts of the constructions previously described they are indicated by the same reference characters and the descriptionthereof need not be repeated.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive the rail brace block is indicated generally at B. The block B includes a vertically extending portion 36 having at its upper end a rail web engaging portion 31. The block B is also provided with" horizontal portions 38 integral with the vertical portion 36 and located adjacent the front and rear'longitudinal sides of the block. The horizontal portions 38 are separated by downwardly facing reinforcing channel portion 39 which'is integral with the vertical portion 36 and the horizontal portions 38 and extends with a downward curvature from the vertical portion 36 to the lip'40 of the block that overlies the wedge 34; The horizontal portions 38'of the block "are provided. with hold-down bolt receiving bosses 4|, the outer sides of which are curved as indicated. The bosses 4| are provided with vertical openings formed with a downwardly divergent taper to allow swinging movement therein of the shanks 42 of the straight hold-down bolts mounted in said openings, thus facilitating the installation of the brace. The

threaded upper ends 43 of the straight holddown bolts extend above the bosses 4| and are provided with the usual cap nuts 32 and heavy spring washers 33. The lower ends of the shanks 42 of the hold-down bolts are provided with semi-cylindrical heads44." i

The opposite longitudinalfedges of the base plate I5 are provided with semi-cylindrical recesses 45 which communicate at their upper portions with slots 46. The recesses "45 and'slots 46 being located in the longitudinal sides of the base plate the heads 44 and shanks 42 of the holddown bolts can be positioned, respectively, in the recesses and 'slots by'rocking the bolts away from erative position in substantially the same way as are the previously described forms of construction and hence for brevity the installation of this construction need not be set forth. It will be seen that the hold-down bolts of the last form of construction also are carried by the rail brace rather than by the base plate. Consequently whenever necessary or desirable the hold-down bolts can be removed and replacedwithout' disturbing the connectionof the base plate to the tie-16. In addition the last described form of construction possesses all of the advantages hereinbefore enumerated with respectto the previously described forms and accomplishes the purposes and objects of the-invention.

' Although several preferred embodiments of the invention' have been illustrated and described issusceptible of various other modifications and adaptations within the claims- Having thus described our invention, we claim:

' plate when the block is mounted on scope of the appended 1. In a rail brace construction comprising a block'having a rail engaging part anda substantiallv h r ntal part integral with and extending from said rail engagin part and adap to overlie the base plate on which the rail is mounted, said horizontal part being provided adjacent its opposite longitudinal edges with vertically extending hold-down bolt openings adapted when the block is installed'against the rail to be 10- catedabove the opposite longitudinal edges of -the base plate, and-vertically'extending holddown bolts mountedrin said openings and having "their upper ends provided with threads and 1 adapted to mount'spring washers and hold-down nuts and their lower ends provided with head portions adapted to be removably interconnected with the opposite longitudinal edges of the base the base plate in rail engaging position.

" 2. A rail brace construction as defined in claim 1 and wherein the head portions of the hold- '1 and. wherein the head portions of the holddown bolts are provided with beveled surfaces adapted to cooperate with similarly beveled surfaces formed in the base plate adjacent the opposite longitudinal edges of the latter;

5. Arail brace construction as defined in claim 1 and wherein the head portions-of the hold-down boltsare in the form of hooks adapted to underlie the opposite longitudinal edges of the base plate.

6. A rail brace construction as defined in claim 1 and wherein the head portions of the hold-down bolts are of semi-cylindrical configuration and are adapted to removably engage in semi-cylindrical recesses formed in the opposite longitudinal edges of the base plates.

'7. A rail brace construction as defined in claim 1 andwherein the hold'down boltshave intermediate their threaded upper ends and the head portions on their lower ends shank portions angularly disposed with respect to the threaded upper ends thereof.

8. A rail brace construction as defined in claim 1 and wherein the hold-down bolt openings in said horizontal part are divergently tapered in a downward direction.

9. A rail brace construction as defined in claim 1 and wherein said horizontal part of said block is provided at its opposite longitudinal edges with outwardly extending lugs provided with said hold-down bolt openings;

10. A rail brace construction as defined in claim 1 and wherein said block is provided with vertical reenforcing portions integrally interconnected with said rail engaging part and said horizontal part and located intermediate the opposite longitudinal edges of said horizontal part, While said-hold-down bolt openings are formed in said horizontal part outwardly of said reen forcing portions. I

11. A rail brace and base plate construction comprising, in combination, a base plate adapted to be secured to a tie and provided on its upper side with a recess in which the base of a rail may be mountedfsaid rail brace including a block having a rail engaging part and a substantially horizontal part integral with and extending from said rail engaging part and overlying the base plate, said horizontal part being provided adjacent its opposite longitudinal edges with vertically extending hold-down bolt openings overlying the opposite longitudinal edges of the base plate, and hold-down vertically extending bolts mounted in said openings and having their upper ends threaded and adapted to mount spring washers and hold-down nuts and their lower ends provided with head portions detachably engaging cooperating portions of the longitudinal edges of the base plate when the block is mounted on the base plate in rail engaging position and acting to positively interconnect the base plate and block when said nuts are screwed down on said hold-down bolts. I

12. A rail brace and base plate construction as defined in claim 1'1 and wherein the head portions of said hold-down bolts extend inwardly of the opposite longitudinal edges of the base plate.

13. A rail brace and base plate construction as defined in claim 11 and wherein said base plate is provided in its opposite longitudinal edges with recesses, while said head portions of said holddown bolts engage the base plate in said recesses.

14. A rail brace and base plate construction as defined in claim 11 and wherein the opposite longitudinal edges of said base plate are provided with recesses having beveled surfaces, while the head portions of said hold-down bolts are provided with beveled surfaces cooperating with the beveled surfaces of said recesses.

15. A rail brace and base plate construction as defined in claim 11 and wherein the opposite longitudinal edges of said base plate are provided with semi-cylindrical recesses and slots communicating with said recesses, while said hold-down bolts extend through said slots with the head portions of the bolts being of semicylindrical configuration and engaging the base plate in said recesses.

16. A rail brace and base plate construction as defined in claim '11 and wherein the opposite longitudinal edges of the horizontal part of said block are provided with outwardly extending lugs in which the hold-down bolt openings are located.

17. A rail brace and base plate construction as defined in claim 11 and wherein said hold-down bolt openings are of downwardly divergent tapered configuration and said bolts can be rocked therein and relative to the opposite longitudinal edges of said base plate.

18. In combination, a railroad tie, a base plate secured thereto and provided on its upper side with a recess in which the base of a rail may be mounted, said tie in its upper longitudinal corners and adjacent said rail being provided with recesses extending beneath the opposite longitudinal edges of the base plate, a rail brace mounted on said base plate and having a rail engaging part and a substantially horizontal part integral with and extending from said rail engaging part and overlying the base plate, said horizontal part being provided adjacent its opposite longitudinal edges with vertically extending hold-down bolt openings overlying the opposite longitudinal edges of the base plate, and vertically extending hold-down bolts mounted in said openings and having their upper ends threaded and mounting thereon spring washers and hold-down nuts and their lower ends provided with hook-like REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,005,785 Reinoehl Oct. 10, 1911 1,230,533 Stiles June '19, 1917 1,478,558 Edwards Dec. 25, 1923 1,585,964 Dalton May 25, 1926 2,035,929 Steward et a1. Mar. 31, 1936 2,449,260 Vickroy Sept. 14, 1948 

